My name is Paula Davis. I am the Judge Specialist Moderator for SAI, responsible for the International Judging Program which includes judges, trial scorers and panel secretaries as well as the oversight of our contests. Congratulations to all Region 11 competitors, your regional competition team and RMT who worked so hard to create a great contest experience and to all that prepared all year to bring their best to the stage.

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As you might know, there are quite a few things going on simultaneously in the Judges area during a contest. ?During your contest, ?there was one documentation entry that occured during the contest that was unknowingly mistakenly entered. ?That erroneous number was one small number, but ultimately had big impact on the outcome of the contest. ?At no fault of any chorus, a small slip of typing a 3 instead of a 2 resulted in the wrong number of singers for one chorus. That chorus, Lady Luck Showtime Chorus, became a Division AA chorus instead of a Division A. ?The result was that the 2nd place mid-size and all three small chorus awards were awarded incorrectly.

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I was notified of this mistake?on Sunday afternoonafter the contest. ?On Monday morning, I communicated with your regional and competition leadership and together we worked out a notification plan that could best reach out, explain the situation and result, and help these directors process this information their emotions and the way forward. ?All choruses have now been contacted and a transfer of medals to the appropriate chorus is currently in progress..?

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I would like to express my deepest apology for the error that lead to the confusion with the Division A ranking and medals. ?While mistakes are very human, it can be quite unsettling when that error affects you. ?We completely understand the challenges this kind of mistake cause. ?On behalf of Sweet Adelines International Judging Program, I ?want to express our sincere apology and regret for any negative impact this error may have had on each chorus and their regional friends and supporters.?

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While we never want to have an error, when one does occur we immediately begin to examine the cause and how we can prevent it from happening again. ?Please know that we have already started brainstorming ideas to prevent these kinds of errors as we endeavor to make every contest experience be a positive one. ?While we always try to be educational, this time?we?are the ones gaining education to become better in?our?performance.

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We would like to thank all of the chorus directors and members that have been affected in this situation for your gracious understanding and response. ?Every person and director that I have spoken with have shown such beautiful responses of care and friendship for their sister choruses. Region 11 and these choruses are a beautiful example of how we hope all choruses and members care for one another. Truly, it is as the song says, “It’s the music that brings us together, but it’s the friendships that make us stay”. ?

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Thank you for your gracious understanding.

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In harmony,

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Paula Davis

Judge Specialist Moderator, Sweet Adelines, International